Paperboard can package



May 23, 1961 E. ARNESON PAPERBOARD CAN PACKAGE Filed June 22, 1954 v lNVENTOR.

law/67256130365 5 United States Patent O I 2,985,294 .PAPERBOARD CAN PACKAGE Lawrence Edwin Arneson, Morris, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Federal Paper Board Company, Inc., Bogota, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed June 22, 1954, Ser. No. 438,452

7 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) specially reinforced for the purpose and is wrapped very snugly about opposed upper and lower circular side edges of the cans of the cluster, the packaging sleeve or band being provided with specially shaped apertures in its upper and lower side margins which accommodate the cans. The margins referred to are alsovindented substantially into the spaces between successive cans,.so that the latter are firmly and positively gripped and held against endwise displacement from the open-ended packaging band.

More particularly in regard to these matters, the invention aflords an improved reinforced paperboard blank featuring special strengthening flanges across its opposed ends, a paperboard packaging sleeve unit fabricated from the blank, in which can accommodating apertures along upper and lower marginal zones bear a special relationship to the strengthening flanges, and a resultant improved can package in which a group of cans are very tightly embraced by the sleeve at upper and lower extremities of the group, the strengthening and'reinforcin'g flanges of the sleeve bearing the'abr'asive action of cans received in the marginal sleeve apertures at theends of the package. Considering the above factors more specifically, the blank is died out of paperboard stock in a generally rectangular outline, being subdivided by transversely extending creases. These creases are arranged in parallel pairs at zones which will coincide with the top and bottom side margins of the completed package. They coincide longitudinally with opposed margins of can-engaging apertures of special shape, i.e., of truncated triangular outline. It is contemplated that when the packaging of the overlapped zone of a top forming panel, permitting application of uniform sealing force along the entire length of the Zone in the completion of the package.

The flanges referred to above are folded 180 about a crease hinging the same to the remainder of the blank, and are adhered to the respective top, side wall and bottom forming panels thereof, particularly across the ends of the apertured top and bottom fold zones. So adhered, the flanges strongly reinforce the package at the ends thereof, absorbing the wearing action of the cans, which is made pronounced by the relative tightness with which the sleeve is secured. The additional thickness of stock at these critical points also gives additional rigidity and stability to the package as a whole.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention. Other and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and purposes of the improved blank, packaging device and package.

A single embodiment of the invention is presented herein for purpose of illustration. It will be appreciated that the invention may be incorporated in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a flexible paperboard blank from which the reinforced packaging sleeve unit is formed, the final position of end reinforcing flange elements thereof being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2. is a perspective view of a package constituted by a packaging band, produced from the blank of Fig. 1, as applied to a group of cylindrical cans of the beaded or chime type;

Fig. 2A is a fragmentary view in transverse vertical section along line 2A2A of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. 2, showing the relationship of the packaging band and package contents in the form of cans of a plain, unbeaded variety.

' In producing the improved package, a blank 10, as shown in Fig. 1, is died out in a generally rectangular outline from a suitable grade of flexible paperboard stock,

unit is applied to a group of cans under substantial tension of its material, the longer, base margin of the aperture will lie across the top of can,subtending a substantial arc of the curvature of. the latter, while the shorter parallel margin of the aperture will snugly embrace the outer curvature of the can-body, in vertically spaced relation to its base margin. The convergent angled sides of the aperture will then take like frictional engagement with its parallel margins, for a-very tight and effective grip on the can.

In constituting the top and bottom side or corner fold hesively secured in its: ultimate,,,tubula r, wrap-around shape. There thus results a uniform double-ply thickness the blank being of elongated character. It is subdivided transversely by a succession of corner fold zones 11, 12, 13, 14, each of which is defined'by pairs of aligned, transversely extending creases 15, 16, into rectangular panels. These are, in the order reading from left to right in Fig. 1, a first top forming panel 17, a side wall forming panel 18, a bottom panel 19, a side wall forming panel 20, and a second top forming panel 21.

Can accommodating apertures 22 are died out of the blank in each of the zones 11, 12, 13, and 14, there being three of these apertures in each corner zone. They are of truncated triangle outline and the direction of orientation of the apertures in the blankalternate in the suc cessive transversely extending zones-11 through 14. Apertures 22 are defined by relatively wide base margins 23, opposed parallel margins 24, and convergent angular margins 25 connecting the respectiveends of margins 23, 24. Parallel margins 23, 24 coincide with the lines of the creases 15, 16, and the apertures 22 are spaced transversely across the blank in accordance with the spacing of the cans C or similar cylindrical. objects to be packaged. Each of panels 17, 21 is provided with a pair of transversely spaced finger holes 26 at its midpoint, and bottom panel 19 may also be provided with similar transversely spaced apertures 27, those on top forming panels 17 being so located in relation tothe ends of blank 10, and to the outermost sets of creases 15, that they will register with one another when the package is completed.

Finally; blank 10 isprovided with elongated, laterally projecting reinforcing flaps or flanges 28 along its longitudinally extending opposed end margins, the flanges being integrally hinged to the respective margins by longitudinally aligned creases 29.

It will be observed that the flanges 28 on each edge of the blank are separated from one another by an inwardly extending bay 30 of substantial size, located at the midpoint of bottom panel 19, these bays being in transverse alignment with one another. It will also be noted that the respective flanges 28 terminate substantially short of the opposite extremities of the blank, leaving cut away notches 31 adjacent those ends. Bottom panel 19 may additionally be provided with a transversely extending crease 31 at its longitudinal midpoint, i.e., in transverse alignment with the centers of holes 26, however, this is optional and the need therefor is occasioned solely by the type of apparatus employed to apply the packaging unit to the cans.

In order to complete the package unit to a fiat, knockeddown condition thereof, adhesive is applied to the four reinforcing flaps or flanges 28, as indicated by stippling in Fig. 1, following which these flaps are folded upwardly, inwardly and downwardly 180 to the dotted line position, thereby adhering the same to the panels 17-21 inclusive, and to the intervening, transversely extending, double-creased fold zones 11-14 inclusive.

The application of the thus completed packaging unit, generally designated 32, to the cans C simply involves the positioning of a group of six of those cans, in parallel rows of three each, on the bottom forming panel 19 of the blank, so that the bottoms thereof are tangent to the transverse center line of the panel and in edge contact with one another, as indicated in dot-dash line in Fig. 1. This leaves the outer curvature of the cans projecting substantially into the area of the apertures 22 on either side the group or cluster. folded upwardly 90 and top forming panels 17, 21 are folded inwardly into overlapped relation to one another, in which position they are tightly drawn toward one another and sealed together bya transversely extending stripe of adhesive in the zone of'overlap.

These operations are ideally performed in a continuous fashion by means of wholly automatic machinery, by which the fiat carrier unit is advanced in a direction paralleling its fold zones 11 through 14. A group of cans is deposited on panel 19, in the arrangement described above, as the unit advances forwardly, and the folding operations referred to are successively performed without halt of the travel of the unit.

It is an important feature of the invention that the unit 32 is tightly and snugly Wrapped in encircling relation to the group of cans, the material of fold zones 11, 12, 13 and 14 which intervenes between successive apertures 22 being drawn snugly into the spaces between successive cans, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 2A. It then straddles the beads B and exposed side curvatures of the cans in a very secure and displacement resisting fashion. The innermost, shorter marginal edges 24 of apertures 22 take snug gripping engagement with the curved body of the can, well beneath the beads thereof, the outermost, longer marginal edges 23 ride across the top surface of the can, and the tapered side margins of the apertures engage the beads and can sides at the ends of these respective edges.

A multiple frictional grip on the cans is thus had which is very effective in preventing their displacement.

Side wall panels 18, are then A similarly effective grip is had on cans of the uni.e., by the shorter, parallel marginal edges 24 and the inclined connecting margins 25. The fold zones are, as

in the embodiment of Fig. 2;, drawn snugly inwardly be tween cans C" in order to establish this, frictional gripping relation of the package unit and can.

It is evident that in a situation where such tight frictional gripping action exists, the abrasive effect of the paperboard material, particularly at the endmost cans C or C becomes pronounced. Notwithstanding the fact that the packaging unit is a single trip or one-way construction, intended to be destroyed in releasing the contents therefrom, it is imperative to prevent premature destruction by tearing or wear, particularly at these package ends. Reinforcing flanges 28 resist this action at the critical corner zones of the package. They also lend stability to the walls 18, 20 throughout the height thereof, as well as to the top and bottom panels, this being accomplished with an insignificant increase in the size of the blank 10 required. 7

The cutting away of the flanges 28 at the overlapped areas of the respective top forming panels 17, 21 means that central, transversely extending zones of uniform thickness are afforded at which the panels 17, 21 are overlapped and adhesively secured throughout their transverse dimensiornacross which the glue stripe extends. This is important, because. the security of the adhesive seal depends upon the uniformity with which the panels are pressed together at the glue stripe. A bumping action at the sealer, occasioned by differing thicknesses of material in this zone, leads to non-uniformity of adhesion, which in turn produces insecurity of the seal, the tightness of which is relied on to hold the respective corner fold zones 11 through 14 in snugly embracing relation to the cans. 7

Being substantially overlapped on one another, the top panels 17, 21 afford two-ply thickness, further reinforced by adhesive, in the zone of registered finger holes 27 by which the package is-grasped and lifted.

I claim: 7

1. A package including a given number of cylindrical objects having relatively flat ends and positioned side-byside, a sheet wrapped about the opposite ends and sides 'of said objects, with the ends of the sheet joined to provide a container in the general form of a tube, the portions of said sheet extending across the ends of the objects being flat, and the portions of said sheet extending across the sides of the objects also being flat, each two such portions which are adjacent, each other'being joined, by a diagonal part of said sheet, said diagonal parts each being defined by parallel preformed score lines and having object accommodating cut outs spaced in accordance with the spacing of said objects, said cut outs having side edge portions thereof which extend between said parallel score lines and converging toward-each other and away from the portions of the sheet extending across the ends of the Objects to conform approximately with the shape of the sides of said objects at the; ends of the latter, whereby 'said diagonal parts are diagonally aligned about the corners of said objects with the, corners of the objects extending through said cut outs and. withthe sides of said objects engaged by the converging edge portions of the cut outs whereby to'hold the objects in said tube.

2. A multiple panel blank suitable for forming into a tube-like carton for packaging cylindricalrobjects having a predetermined diameter and relatively flat ends, said blank having parallel transverse score lines defining five wall forming panels and four corner connecting panels with a wall formingpanel at-each end of said blank and said corner connecting panels extending between adjacent wall forming panels, said corner connecting panels each -having a plurality of object receiving openings spaced transversely of the blank and extending-between the transverse score lines definingthe edges. ofthe panels, said object receiving openings each being relatively wide at the side thereof which extends along one of said score lines and decreasing in width toward-thetother score line, whereby said blank may be formed-into a tube about a plurality of 'said objects positioned'side-by-sidewith the portions of 'said blank extending across the-ends of said objects constituting wall-1 formin' panels positioned flat against the ends of the objects, and the portions of said blank extending across the sides of said objects constituting wall forming panels positioned fiat against said sides and said corner connecting panels extending diagonally between said flat wall forming panels with portions of said objects extending through said openings and in engagement with the edges thereof.

3.' A package comprising a plurality of cans or like objects arranged in row formation and a sheet wrapped about the ends of said objects on the exposed sides thereof with the ends of the sheet being joined to form a tube having oppositely disposed wall panels extending at the ends and exposed sides of the objects with portions thereof being fiat, each two such wall panels which are adjacent each other being joined by a diagonal corner forming object gripping panel which is defined by a pair of parallel spaced, transverse crease lines forming the edges of the adjoining wall panels, said diagonal panel having apertures spaced in accordance with the spacing of the objects through which portions of the objects project, said apertures extending in said diagonal panel between said pair of crease lines and having a shape approximating the shape of the section of the object which lies in the plane of the diagonal panel so that portions of the exposed sides of the objects which project through the apertures are engaged by the edges thereof.

4. A package comprising a container and a plurality of cylindrical objects assembled in the container in row formation with their axes disposed vertically, said container being formed from a sheet of paperboard which is cut, creased and folded into a tube having oppositely disposed side wall panels and top and bottom wall panels extending between the top and bottom edges of the side wall panels, relatively narrow corner forming panels connecting corresponding edges of said side wall panels with one of the wall forming panels which extends between said edges, said corner forming panels being defined by parallel spaced crease lines which form the edges of the adjoining wall panels, said corner forming panels extending diagonally between the edges of said adjoining wall panels and having apertures spaced therein which receive projecting end portions of said cylindrical objects, said apertures having side edges which converge in the direction of the side wall panels so as to grip portions of the cylindrical surfaces of the objects adjacent the ends of said objects.

5. A package including a given number of cylindrical objects which are positioned side-by-side, a sheet wrapped about the opposite ends and sides of said objects, with the ends of the sheet joined to provide a container in the general form of a tube, portions of said sheet extending at the ends of the objects being flat and portions of said sheet extending at the sides of the objects also being flat,

each such two portions which are adjacent each other being joined by a diagonal part of said sheet, said diagonal part being defined by parallel preformed score lines and having object accommodating cut outs spaced in accordance with the spacing of said objects, said cut outs extending therein and having side portions thereof converging towards each other and away from the portions of the sheet extending at the ends of the objects so as to conform approximately with the shape of the sides of the objects adjacent the ends of the latter, whereby said diagonal parts are diagonally aligned about the corners of the package with portions of the objects extending through said cut outs and engaged by the converging edge portions of the cut outs thereby to hold the objects in said tube.

6. A package including a given number of cylindrical objects which are positioned in side-by-side row form-ing relation, a sheet wrapped about the opposite ends and sides of said objects, with the ends of the sheet joined to provide a container in the form of a tube, portions of said sheet extending at the ends of the objects being flat and portions of said sheet extending at the sides of the objects also being flat, at least one of the flat portions of the sheet at one end of the objects being joined to the adjacent flat portions of the sheet at the sides of the objects by a diagonal part of the sheet, said diagonal part of the sheet being defined by parallel preformed score lines and having object receiving cut outs spaced in ac- .cordance with the spacing of said objects, said cut outs having side edge portions converging toward each other and away from the portion of the sheet which extends at the ends of the objects so as to conform approximately with the shape of the sides of the objects adjacent the ends of the latter, whereby portions of the objects which extend through said cut outs are engaged by the converging edges of the cut outs so as to hold the objects in the tube.

7. A multiple panel blank suitable for forming into a tube-like carton for packaging cylindrical objects of predetermined diameter, said blank having parallel transverse score lines defining top, bottom and side wall forming panels and corner connecting panels, with said corner connecting panels extending between adjacent wall forming panels, at least one of said corner connecting panels having a plurality of object receiving cut outs which are spaced transversely of the blank and which extend in the area between the transverse score lines defining the edges of the panel, said object receiving cut outs each being relatively wide at a side thereof which extends along one of said score lines and increasing in width toward the other score line, whereby said blank may be formed into a tube about a plurality of said objects which are assembled in side-by-side row forming relation with portions of the blank extending across the ends and sides of said objects to constitute a flat wall forming panel and said corner connecting panels extending between said flat wall forming panels with portions of said objects extending through said cut outs and in engagement with the edges thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,239,564 Lyons Apr. 22, 1941 2,441,134 Brogden May 11, 1948 2,559,948 Currie July 10, 1951 2,603,923 Chidsey July 22, 1952 2,611,527 Fisher Sept. 23, 1952 2,723,027 Guyer Nov. 8, 1955 2,765,073 Murray Oct. 2, 1956 

